Michael Gove's GCSE and A-level reforms delayed

Michael Gove has suffered a setback in his plans for sweeping reforms of GCSEs
and A-levels after the exam regulator put the brakes on some of the changes.

Reforms to some GCSE and A-level exams will not be ready in time, Ofqual says.Photo: ALAMY

By Rosa Silverman and agencies

8:20PM BST 06 Sep 2013

Ofqual said it "cannot be confident" that new GCSEs in all subjects could be ready for introduction in 2015, meaning reformed exams in English language, English literature and maths only will be brought into schools in two years’ time.

Changes to qualifications in science, history and geography will be delayed until 2016, while revamped A-levels in maths and further maths will also be put back a year to 2016.

The Education Secretary wants to abolish GCSE coursework and make subjects tougher to bring the exams children sit at 16 into line with the most rigorous tests sat elsewhere in the world.

He also wants to reintroduce traditional end-of-course exams to A-levels and toughen up the Sixth Form qualifications too, to avoid a “formulaic” approach to education.

But in a letter to Mr Gove, Ofqual’s chief regulator Glenys Stacey wrote: “It is clear that the amount of work needed on GCSEs, including the development of strengthened regulatory arrangements, means we cannot be confident that new, high quality GCSEs in all subjects could be ready in good time for first teaching from 2015."

Instead, the regulator said it plans to concentrate on English and maths, which are the subjects with the biggest concerns.

"With recent changes we have made to strengthen science, history and geography, reform in those subjects is less pressing," the letter says.

Ministers had previously planned for new GCSEs in each of these core academic subjects to be introduced in 2015.

Mr Gove accepted the delay was necessary however, saying in a response to Ms Stacey: "On GCSEs, we both agree that existing GCSEs are inadequate and that reformed qualifications should be introduced at the earliest opportunity.

"We must replace the modular GCSE treadmill with exams that encourage the skills universities and employers want, such as essay writing and mathematical problem-solving.

"That is why I wanted new GCSEs in core academic subjects to be in place for teaching from 2015. However, I accept that much more rigorous regulatory demands should be put in place and that Ofqual needs more time to develop them."

The move to postpone some of the changes follows concerns from school leaders, unions and other bodies about the pace of the government's exams reform.

In a letter to Education Secretary Michael Gove in February, Ms Stacey said that the timetable for developing new GCSE qualifications was "challenging" and that the timetable would need to be kept under review.

Teaching unions welcomed the slow-down in the introduction of the reforms.

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: "Given the volume of changes to qualifications and curriculum already under way, it is quite right of Ofqual to slow the pace of change.

"We have to remember that schools are already working to implement major changes to the national curriculum, GCSE exams and A-levels, and there is a risk of trying to do too much too fast. It is important that further reforms to qualifications are implemented effectively so that they are done in the best interests of the students.”